Monthly Archives: December 2009

It started Thanksgiving weekend and it hasn’t stopped since. Little O wants books, books, books. He picks one from his book box or nightstand and then he toddles to the couch or armchair. He crawls up onto the cushions by swinging one leg up first (hilarious). This often takes a while as he will not let go of the book. He buries his face into the furniture grunting and groaning until he has proudly pulled his little toddler body into a sitting position. He looks around for a moment to make sure someone has noticed his feat, then he opens his book. He turns a page or two, shuts it, sets it down and climbs down to grab the next one.

There are variations of this game. Maybe he hands you the book and you read to him. Maybe he looks through one book and you read another one – out loud. Certain books deserve certain rituals. “Hug” involves the most adorable action of hugging himself. He tilts his head to the side and scrunches up his shoulders while wrapping his arms around his chest. The Parakeet looked over to see him reading and doing this motion alone the other night and she got tears in her eyes. Seriously? Sweet.

“Five Little Monkeys” involves moving up and down during the jumping sections and reaching for mom every time the mama calls the Dr. “When you’re Happy” must involve singing and stomping of feet and every book with a picture of a dog gets a “woof woof”.

Christmas brought along “Are you grumpy, Santa?” Every time Little O finds that one in the book box – he is more excited than the time before. “San-TA” he says with a smile. Although it sounds strangely similar to DaDa.

There are many book-shaped gifts arriving in the mail and we couldn’t be more thrilled. That will entertain this Little O to no end…

For now, there are stacks of books in all corners of the living room, and you know what? Nobody minds.

Well, this was the third year the Bird and Huz spent Thanksgiving in Chicago. The first time they were lucky enough to have Big W’s parents visit them from St. Louis – although they weren’t Big W’s parents just yet.
The second time was last year and they were still in infant haze and the Parakeet managed to bring pies over to some generous friend’s house where they were introduced to that addictive board game, Ticket to Ride.
This year – it was just their family; The Parakeet, the Huz, and LIttle O. That turned out to be just fine because the bird and the baby had a case of te old pig flu. They aren’t positive, but really – looking back – it’s likely. They both had regular flu shots and all the symptoms…
Being sick is no fun.
The Parakeet was on Day 6 of feeling like dog poo, but she managed to get the turkey in an Apple Cider Brine the night before. Can someone say optimistic? She slept in a bit on Turkey Day. They all watched the Macy’s Day Parade and Little O tore it up in the living room (more on that later). Once he went down for his nap, the Parakeet laid down herself. The Huz went to CVS and came back with Tylenol Cold and a Snickers. It was time for this bird to shake a tailfeather and get her bird in the oven if they were ever going to have dinner.
She cut a couple items from the menu.
But in the end – they ate at five o’clock with Turkey, Gravy, cranberry sauce (first time doing that for reals instead of can), mashed potatoes (enough for an army apparently), stuffing (thank you pepperidge farm), and some left over acorn squash with apples. The meal was topped off with a pumpkin pie (fresh pumpkin, refrigerated pie crust – the girl is a paradox).
Little O got to bed early and the Keet and Huz weren’t too far behind.
So…they didn’t manage to get any pictures taken on the bi day – there are pictures of Little O opening his Thanksgiving presents from GB the night before…
Ooooo….books. And…A Stuffed Turkey!

Little O spent a lot of months 11-13 yelling. He would throw these “adorable” little tantrums when say, the refrigerator was shut and he couldn’t play among the produce and condiments any longer or when he was hungry and no one knew because his yelling was all sounding the same.
So month 15 is bringing a GREAT new form of communication – some words.
Little O runs around the house in the morning saying, “Da! Da-Da!” looking for his Dad. They tease just a little because he always looks in the bed or hangs off the bedroom door. Apparently, Da is sleeping quite a lot.
He will hug the Parakeet and say “mommy”. His favorite exclamation is “Oh No!” It is beyond cute and soon they will get you a video of this particular outburst. It reminds them very much of Eleanor circa a year ago (or two).
Some other funny words and their translation
What you would Say What O would say
cheese sheeze
eat eeet
shoe shooo
socks sahhhhcts
bye-bye buh-buh
bubble bubble (he loves this one)
Hat hat (always while pointing to his head)
Off Auf (pointing to light switch and he usually means on)
Yogurt go-ya
more mo-mo (rivals the oh no in cuteness. The
Parakeet would give this kid more of anything when he
asks this way)

They are all enjoying the fact that Little O understands more words and speaks in his own babble. He’s such a little person!!